This invention relates generally to a display case, and more particularly pertains to a display case wherein its plurality of shelves are revolvable and ride upon tracks that are formed in conjunction with the structure of the sidewalls for the fabricated display.
Various styles of display cases are readily available in the prior art, as is well known, and are used for showing a variety of merchandise. And, as in the jewelry and accessory fields, it is desirable in many instances to have the merchandise being displayed to be brought ito its best view, and that is positioned at the upper frontal portion of the display case, so that the observer can readily see and appreciate the high value of the merchandise being displayed from its best vantage point. As a result, many display cases have been constructed that utilize shelves or trays that can be revolved about a predetermined path within the case, so that shelves may be brought, through motor power, up to a position where their merchandise can be most conveniently observed.
Examples of the type of prior art merchandise display cases that utilize revolving trays is shown in the Berg, U.S. Pat. No. 2,710,240, wherein, as can be seen, the construction of this shown cabinet incorporates a variety or group of sprockets that are located upon the sidewalls of the cabinet, and function as means for converging of a conveyor chain that provides for circulation of its suspended trays. It can be readily observed that, in this particular prior art cabinet, a multitude of at least six sprockets must be operatively associated with each side wall of the cabinet in order to provide for simultaneous and uniform motion of the plurality of suspended trays about the perimeter of the shown cabinet, in order to maneuver said trays into convenient positions for viewing.
The Lyon U.S. Pat. No. 2,673,780, discloses a selective display cabinet, wherein a chain is located for revolving about, once again, various sprockets that are located upon the surface of the sidewall of the cabinet. This Lyon patent, not too unlike the previously reviewed Berg patent, shows what commonly has been the mode of attaining movement for display case shelves, in a revolving type of display case, and that being the combination of a multitude of sprockets and a sprocket chain that suspends the trays for movement.
The Ibel U.S. Pat. No. 3,042,472, discloses a vertically movable filing cabinet, wherein sprocket held chains are arranged for being moved along either side of supports for the cabinet structure, and once again, such is very similar to what has previously been described in the prior art, wherein a plurality of sprocket, and sprocket chains, are used, as in this instance, with structured supports for holding a plurality of movable trays.
The Bosio, U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,617, discloses an apparatus for storing and displaying articles, and while the shown sprockets may be located within the confines of upright supports for the casing, there is no actual use of the casing wall itself as an integrally designed type of rail for supporting the drive chains themselves. The Graber, U.S. Pat. No. 3,199,658, discloses a power filing appliance having its drive means associated with the sidewalls of the structure and forming through the arrangement of stabilizing tracks, means for holding arms during movement of drive chains within the same. These tracks and guides are not formed by routing, or by any other method, within the sidewalls of the shown appliance, but rather, it would appear that the tracks are formed through the locating of supplemental metallic tracks onto sidewall support plates of the device.
The Antram, U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,958, discloses a similar type of power file level control means as that previously analyzed with respect to the shown Graber patented device. Finally, in the Raabe, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,531,171, there is shown a vertical mechanical filing cabinet, with its filing means being supported through the use of a drive chain that revolves about a sprocket that is apparently appended to the sidewalls of the cabinet, but which does not form a track that is integrally structured within the sidewalls of the cabinet structure per se. A similar type of construction is shown in the display cabinet of Ware, U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,519, wherein the entire cabinet would appear to be fabricated from metallic means, and would not provide integrally any form of track means that is routed within the sidewalls of the same.
In referring to the drawings of this current application, and as most specifically shown in the FIG. 2, one of the most current type of revolving form of display cases currently being marketed is shown, and it includes what is very similar in construction to that previously analyzed in the Berg U.S. Pat. No. 2,710,240, and that being the use of a series of sprockets, approximately six in number, and which have the chained drive operatively associated with the multitude of sprockets appended to each sidewall of the shown cabinet. Thus, as can be seen from this and the other type prior art devices analyzed herein, the thrust of the prior art is to extensively apply and utilize sprockets as a means for attaining support for some type of a drive chain, with all of such hardware being supported upon the surface of particularly the sidewall structure for the shown cabinets, and not being integrally embedded or formed therein as is attained in the current invention.
It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a revolving display cabinet wherein its various trays are simultaneously moved through the use of chain and track structure that is operatively located within the sidewall structure for the designed cabinet.
Another object of this invention is to provide a revolving display case, i.e., where the trays revolve about a fixed path, and wherein the tracks for said revolving trays are integrated into the structure of the sidewall for the display case.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a revolving display case that is substantially reduced in cost to manufacture, due to the fabrication of rails for tracks that support the revolving trays and which are milled internally within the sidewalls for the display case.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a display case containing revolving shelves or trays and in which the mechanism for revolving the trays is substantially concealed within the sidewalls of the apparatus.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a display case containing revolving trays which are motivated through substantially reduced or diminished use of sprockets as required in the prior art.
Another object of this invention is to provide drive means for revolving shelves of a display case and which is capable of providing precise simultaneous movement to the tray linkages as contained at opposite sides of a display case.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a display case which can be constructed in substantially reduced time due to the integration of its operating structure within its framework than what has been and can be accomplished from the prior art.
These and other objects will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the summary of this invention, and upon undertaking a study of the preferred embodiment in view of the drawings.